Imaemon Kiln – Wisteria Year Plate 2009 – Numbered 107/200 – Porcelain - Japan - Heisei - Porcelain - 14th Imaemon - Japan - Heisei period (1989-present)
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Porcelain year plate from Japan, 2009 Heisei edition 107/200 by the 14th Imaemon, 16.5 cm wide and 2.6 cm high, in excellent original condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Wisteria in Porcelain – A Year Plate Marked 2009
In Japan, spring is not over until the wisteria blooms. Known as fuji (藤), its long, trailing clusters have inspired poets and painters for more than a thousand years. On this small plate, that fleeting moment has been caught in porcelain and held still.
What You See
A gently scalloped, flower-shaped rim (rinka) frames the white porcelain. At the centre, an arch of leaves in cobalt blue and soft green encircles three hanging clusters of wisteria, painted in reddish-orange enamel. One cluster is filled with solid colour, the others are drawn in fine outline, a quiet play between full and empty. A single curling tendril drops loose from the vine. Around the border, scrolling blue foliage and star-like flowers leave plenty of open white space, so the picture can breathe.
On the front, near the lower rim, "2009" is written in gold. On the underside sits a blue cursive signature, with the handwritten edition number "107/200" beneath it in red.
The Mark – and the Name It Suggests
The cursive signature appears to read 今右ヱ門, Imaemon. That reading is our interpretation of the photographs. No box, certificate or leaflet is shown with this plate, so the attribution cannot be confirmed by documents. The format also matches the small numbered "year plates" issued by the Imaemon kiln: a seasonal motif, the year in gold on the front, and an edition of 200.
The Imaemon Story
If the mark is right, this plate comes from one of Japan's most famous porcelain families. The Imaizumi Imaemon line has worked in Arita, Saga Prefecture, since the Edo period. Under the Nabeshima domain, the family were the overglaze enamellers for Iro-Nabeshima, the refined porcelain made for the lords' own use and as gifts. The kiln continues the tradition today.
In 2009 the kiln was led by the 14th generation, Imaizumi Imaemon XIV, who took the name in 2002. In 2014 he was designated a Living National Treasure (Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property) for iro-e porcelain. A year plate made under his leadership is a small, collectable way into that long story.
An Imagined Spring
Perhaps the decorator chose wisteria for its graceful movement, or to give a whole year the gentle mood of late spring. Perhaps the hollow clusters were meant to suggest flowers turning in the light. These are only imaginative readings; the maker's real intentions are not recorded here. Which month, which garden, which breeze? The plate does not say.
Details
Attribution: Imaemon kiln, Arita (based on the signature and the year-plate format; not documented)
Period: Heisei, dated 2009
Material: Porcelain with cobalt-blue underglaze and overglaze enamels
Decoration: Hanging wisteria among blue and green leaves; scrolling foliage border
Form: Scalloped rinka rim
Markings: Gold "2009" on the front; blue cursive signature and "107/200" on the underside
Included: The plate only, as shown. No box, certificate or leaflet is shown. The acrylic stands in the photos are display props.
Condition: Please refer to the original photographs for the actual condition.
A little more of this plate's story awaits its new owner.
This listing contains AI Visualisations. Please refer to the original photographs for the actual object condition.
Shipping & Handling
Shipped from Japan, carefully packed to protect the porcelain during transit, with tracking provided.
We guarantee this piece is as described.
Seller's Story
Hello, and thank you for visiting my page. I primarily handle Japanese antiques, as well as Western antiques, art pieces, and pre-loved items that have been cherished in Japan. Growing up in a family of historians—my grandfather was a historian and my father was an archaeologist—I have always been captivated by the eras and stories these historic objects and works of art carry with them.
My listings feature collections from both Japan and the West, pieces that have stood the test of time and remained beloved through the ages. Through these rare treasures, I hope to share with you the delight of ownership and discovery. As a professional, I strive for honest and sincere transactions to ensure customer satisfaction, always leveraging my experience and eye for quality.
I strongly believe in not letting buyers down, so I describe items as accurately and thoroughly as possible, prioritizing secure and careful packaging. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out. It would be my pleasure to help enrich your collecting experience.
Thank you for your interest, and I look forward to doing business with you.
Wisteria in Porcelain – A Year Plate Marked 2009
In Japan, spring is not over until the wisteria blooms. Known as fuji (藤), its long, trailing clusters have inspired poets and painters for more than a thousand years. On this small plate, that fleeting moment has been caught in porcelain and held still.
What You See
A gently scalloped, flower-shaped rim (rinka) frames the white porcelain. At the centre, an arch of leaves in cobalt blue and soft green encircles three hanging clusters of wisteria, painted in reddish-orange enamel. One cluster is filled with solid colour, the others are drawn in fine outline, a quiet play between full and empty. A single curling tendril drops loose from the vine. Around the border, scrolling blue foliage and star-like flowers leave plenty of open white space, so the picture can breathe.
On the front, near the lower rim, "2009" is written in gold. On the underside sits a blue cursive signature, with the handwritten edition number "107/200" beneath it in red.
The Mark – and the Name It Suggests
The cursive signature appears to read 今右ヱ門, Imaemon. That reading is our interpretation of the photographs. No box, certificate or leaflet is shown with this plate, so the attribution cannot be confirmed by documents. The format also matches the small numbered "year plates" issued by the Imaemon kiln: a seasonal motif, the year in gold on the front, and an edition of 200.
The Imaemon Story
If the mark is right, this plate comes from one of Japan's most famous porcelain families. The Imaizumi Imaemon line has worked in Arita, Saga Prefecture, since the Edo period. Under the Nabeshima domain, the family were the overglaze enamellers for Iro-Nabeshima, the refined porcelain made for the lords' own use and as gifts. The kiln continues the tradition today.
In 2009 the kiln was led by the 14th generation, Imaizumi Imaemon XIV, who took the name in 2002. In 2014 he was designated a Living National Treasure (Holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property) for iro-e porcelain. A year plate made under his leadership is a small, collectable way into that long story.
An Imagined Spring
Perhaps the decorator chose wisteria for its graceful movement, or to give a whole year the gentle mood of late spring. Perhaps the hollow clusters were meant to suggest flowers turning in the light. These are only imaginative readings; the maker's real intentions are not recorded here. Which month, which garden, which breeze? The plate does not say.
Details
Attribution: Imaemon kiln, Arita (based on the signature and the year-plate format; not documented)
Period: Heisei, dated 2009
Material: Porcelain with cobalt-blue underglaze and overglaze enamels
Decoration: Hanging wisteria among blue and green leaves; scrolling foliage border
Form: Scalloped rinka rim
Markings: Gold "2009" on the front; blue cursive signature and "107/200" on the underside
Included: The plate only, as shown. No box, certificate or leaflet is shown. The acrylic stands in the photos are display props.
Condition: Please refer to the original photographs for the actual condition.
A little more of this plate's story awaits its new owner.
This listing contains AI Visualisations. Please refer to the original photographs for the actual object condition.
Shipping & Handling
Shipped from Japan, carefully packed to protect the porcelain during transit, with tracking provided.
We guarantee this piece is as described.
Seller's Story
Hello, and thank you for visiting my page. I primarily handle Japanese antiques, as well as Western antiques, art pieces, and pre-loved items that have been cherished in Japan. Growing up in a family of historians—my grandfather was a historian and my father was an archaeologist—I have always been captivated by the eras and stories these historic objects and works of art carry with them.
My listings feature collections from both Japan and the West, pieces that have stood the test of time and remained beloved through the ages. Through these rare treasures, I hope to share with you the delight of ownership and discovery. As a professional, I strive for honest and sincere transactions to ensure customer satisfaction, always leveraging my experience and eye for quality.
I strongly believe in not letting buyers down, so I describe items as accurately and thoroughly as possible, prioritizing secure and careful packaging. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out. It would be my pleasure to help enrich your collecting experience.
Thank you for your interest, and I look forward to doing business with you.
Details
Dynastic Style/Period
Heisei period (1989-present)
Number of objects
1
Artist
14th Imaemon
Country of Origin
Japan
Material
Porcelain
Height
2.6 cm
Width
16.5 cm
Title of artwork
Imaemon Kiln – Wisteria Year Plate 2009 – Numbered 107/200 – Porcelain - Japan - Heisei
Condition
Excellent condition
Authenticity
Original/official
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